Bottles and jugs are usually molded from glass or plastic. A bottle typically includes a base on which the bottle is supported, a body extending from the base to hold liquid, a shoulder extending from the body, and a neck extending from the shoulder and having an open mouth through which liquid flows out of the bottle. A jug is similar to a bottle but also includes an integrally molded handle extending from the neck.
A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a container handle and a container having novel features for attachment of the handle to the container, and a novel container and handle assembly.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A handle and container assembly in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a container including a base, a body extending from the base, a shoulder extending from the body, and a neck extending from the shoulder and including an external surface having a handle retention feature with axially lower and upper handle retention surfaces that face away from one another. The assembly also includes a handle including a collar surrounding the neck of the container and having axially spaced apart container retention features that engage the axially lower and upper handle retention surfaces of the handle retention feature of the container neck, to prevent axial movement of the collar with respect to the container neck.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a one-piece handle for a container. The handle includes a frustoconical collar including axially spaced apart container retention features having axially lower and upper container retention surfaces that face one another to retain therebetween a corresponding handle retention feature of a container to prevent axial movement of the collar with respect to the container.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a container that includes a base, a body extending from the base, a shoulder extending from the body, and a neck extending from the shoulder. The neck includes an axial end surface, a radially outer surface, an annular flange spaced apart from the axial end surface and extending outwardly from the outer surface, and at least one handle retention feature located axially between and spaced apart from the annular flange and the shoulder and having axially lower and upper handle retention surfaces that face away from one another.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a handle and container assembly that includes a container having a neck and a handle having a collar externally surrounding the container neck. The container neck has an external surface and a pair of handle retention features spaced axially from each other, and at least one anti-rotation feature extending between the handle retention features. The handle collar has internal container retention features that engage the handle retention features on the container neck to prevent axial movement of the collar and the handle with respect to the neck and the container, and the collar has at least one corresponding anti-rotation feature extending between the container retention features and engaging the at least one anti-rotation feature of the container to prevent rotation of the collar and the handle with respect to the neck and the container.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a handle and container assembly that includes a container having a neck with an external surface and at least one external embossment or debossment on the external surface. The assembly also includes a handle that includes a circumferentially continuous one-piece annular collar received by interference fit over the neck, the collar including at least one internal debossment or embossment engaged with the at least one external embossment or debossment on the neck to prevent movement of the collar and the handle with respect to the neck and the container.